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Show !PAGE 6 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL SPORTS MONDAY, JULY 16, 1999 Y 2K? How about Y3K for SUU football in '99 Computer users world-wide - and those affected by them - are concerned with the Year 2000 Bug, better known as Y2K. Fears abound that computers will grind to a standstill when Jan. 1, 2000, rolls around, throwing off the data bases of those computers not prepared for the new millennium. In contrast, Southern Utah University hopes that all the grinding will be done by the Thunderbirds' prolific rushing offense and the only data bases to be thrown off will be those of opposing defenses. SUU, which boasts three 1,000-yard rushers, is ottering its own alternative to Y2K: Y3K. Senior fullback Brook Madsen returns for his final campaign as SUU's all-time leading rusher, with two 1,000-yard plus seasons to his credit. Quarterback Matt Cannon also has a pair of 1,000-yard campaigns and while sophomore Rod Madsen rushed for only 989 yards last year, he's close enough to be in the 1,000-yard club, after averaging 127 yards and 1.4 touchdowns in just seven starts. The Thunderbirds shattered the NCAA I-AA record for yards rushing last year, averaging 386.0 yards per game to claim their second national rushing championship in the last three seasons and finished eighth in total offense among 1-M schools with an SUU record 5,141 yards. This year, however, the 'Birds promise to be multidimensional, based on two factors: 1) the re-emergence of the pass during the spring, and 2) the best defensive outlook in years. OFFENSE Cannon returns to trigger the offense after setting an NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback last season with 1,553, while Brook Madsen - who has rushed for 2,888 yards during his SUU career - hopes to pick up where he left off last year. Cannon took over at quarterback last season after spending most of his time at slotback as a freshman . He responded well to the challenge, recording the second-most prolific rushing season in SUU history. Cannon is third on the SUU career rushing list with 2,577 yards , and needs 170 to pass Zed Robinson, who had 2,746 rushing yards in 1991 and 1992. Madsen began the season last year in the Thunderbird backfield. but suffered a broken arm near the end of the Thunderbirds' 45-35 win at Montana in the opener. Before he went down with the season-ending injury, however, Madsen rushed for 145 yards and scored four touchdowns in the game. Rod Madsen made the most of his opportunity last season. After brother Brook went down, the T-Birds struggled through three games, playing fullback by committee before Madsen emerged against St. Mary's with a 175-yard, three-touchdown effort to claim the starter's spot Additional starters returning on the offensive side of the ball are slotbacks Terry Rose and Sam Elliott and receivers Kam Brown and Lane Earl. Up front guard John Uriarte, and perhaps tackle Andy Nelson, return. Rose is a two-year starter at slotback. Last year he rushed for 483 yards and three TDs and he has been the team's leading receiver the last two years, with 14 catches for 236 yards and a score in 1998; he also finished third on the team in all-purpose yards with 719 and in total offense with 483. Elliott returned kickoffs and played slot, wide receiver and fullback tor the Thunderbirds last year, accounting for 592 yards: thi s year he will return kicks and concentrate on playing slotback. Brown has started at wide receiver every game the .,,, past two years, catching seven passes for 126 yards and a TD ',1last year after leadiny the team with three TD catches in 1997. \,1 Earl emerged late in the season as a big-play guy in the 'Birds' offense. pulling in seven passes tor 127 yards - SUU's second-highest total - and one TD. Uriarte - who is a Sports Network pre-season all-America - is a transfer from the University of Utah who has been a starter since he stepped foot onto the SUU campus and it will be up to him to anchor the line. Unfortunately, Nelson, another two-year starter. suffered a knee injury in a freak accident last winter whose return this fall is questionable. Expected to step up along the line this fall are junior Brody Benson, who has lined up on both lines during his two years at SUU but is the starting center going into tall camp, Brandon Hampton, Randy Clark, Dave Butler, Aaron Hall, Cal Jackson, Lee Kell and Chad Jensen. At wide receiver, Jon Clark also returns. Slotback Koby Leon, a valuable reserve the past two seasons, is questionable because of a chronic back injury. Newcomer Clay Denton is expected to have an impact at both slot and fullback after transferring from Snow College, while depth at quarterback will be provided by two more JC transfers: Rob Chapman (Mississippi Delta) and Ryan Smith (Palomar) as well as by Canadian prep Malcom Weed. Thunderbird Head Coach C. Ray Gregory says he feels good about the offense from a skill position point of view, but that he is a bit concerned with the situation along the line. "We have a great nucleus of skill people, probably the best we've ever had," he notes, "but the line is going to have to come together quickly; we don't have a lot of experienced depth there. "Fortunately, we do have some great talent and leadership which will help out our new guys," he added. "Brook (Madsen] is a great leader and a great player in our offense and Matt [Cannon} is as good an option quarterback as there is in the country right now. "We also have some depth at those positions this year, so Matt won't be getting worn out and we won't have to rely on Brook to get 150 yards a game. Chapman and Smith are both very good quarterbacks, with Chapman experienced at running the option and Smith more of a passer. At fullback we have Rod (Madsen], who proved himself last year and Denton, who is tough and one of the fastest players on the team. "We also feel pretty good about where we are at receiver," he went on to say. "Lane Earl proved last season he has the ability to be a big-play guy, and Kam Brown has been doing it for us for two years now, while Jon Clark and [newcomer] Bo Shaheen give us good depth. "I am concerned a little about the line, however. Uriarte is a great player, but beyond him we don't have a lot of experience. Brody Benson and Dave Butler both moved over from defense and will help, while Calvin Jackson and Aaron Hall can play anywhere on the line, we just have to figure out where we want them. Hampton can also contribute, but we have a lot of new faces." DEFENSE Defensively, the team is looking for a significant improvement over last year's squad, which was tough against the run but vulnerable to the pass. Hopefully, more experience in the backfield and a bigger pass rush will be the keys to that improvement. Josh Roberts emerged as a star at the free safety spot last year, earning second-team Football Gazette all-America and all-independent recognition after leading the team with 115 tackles. Roberts was also second on the team in interceptions with three and tied for second in deflections with four. Returning along with Roberts in the secondary are three-year starter Chad Huntsman (strong safety), twoyear starter Clint Brown (cornerback), Kenny Lindsay, Nate Sundloff, Ryan Renteria and Jeremy Avila. Huntsman led the team in interceptions with four and was the team's third-leading tackler last year with 49 while topping the team in passes broken up with five. Brown had 32 tackles and a pair of interceptions with four pass break-ups_Renteria, Avila and Sundloff all started opposite Brown last year, with Sundloff emerging late in the season as a defensive force; he is the starter going into fall drills. Lindsay has been one of the most versatile players on the team the past three seasons, starting at cornerback his freshman season before moving to safety and backing up there as well as at linebacker the past two years. A newcomer expected to have an impact in the secondary is Curtis Boru m, a transfer from Rio Hondo CC. Jerry Cowan moves from · linebacker to free safety, giving Roberts a physical backup. "Speed-wise, our secondary is in the best shape it's ever been in ," Gregory points out. ··we've got five or six guys who can play corner and some experienced safeties who can hit. Josh Roberts is one of the best players in the country and Huntsman is a smart, experienced player with big-play ability. With Clint [Brown], Sundloff, Borum, Renteria, Avila and Kenny . Brook Madsen: Craig (a transfer from Utah State], we're deeper at comer than we've ever been." Back in 1999 On the defensive front, Southern Utah returns two ;1&___.;;._ _ _ _ ___J starters and several seasoned reserves on the line and it is this group which makes Gregory feel like the Thunderbird defense will be a force to be reckoned with. DEs Blake Bingham and Dustin Pearce were both starters when the season ended, while tackles Iona Uiagalelei and Howard Faagata were both playing starter's minutes in reserve roles. In addition to those four, Howard Vaifanua and Mike Nuga both were impact players in part-time starting roles . Add to that mix redshirt freshman Josh Bingham and newcomei Tounga Mounga and the T-Birds should have a formidable front. "I honestly think our defensive line could be one of the best in 1-M this year," Gregory says. "Iona [Uiagale\ei] is ready to be the man up front, he is very solid, and Faagata could be dominant. We're moving Nuga inside this year, along with Vaifanua [who both played end last year] and we feel very strong up the middle. With Pearce, the Binghams and Tounga Mounga at the ends, we feel like we've got eight guys who can play four spots and that the line is the strength of the defense. If they can give us a good rush it will take a lot of pressure off our secondary." Backing up that line and bolstering the strength up front is a linebacking corps which could also be as good as the 'Birds have had. Senior Mike Shepard is a two-year starter, while.Jackson Peck had an impact last year as a red-shirt freshman. Shepard followed a sensational sophomore season (72 tackles, 35 solo, nine sacks) with a 48-tackle junior season, but the drop-off was due to a change in defenses rather than a drop-off in his skills. He finished with nine for loss. 3.5 sacks and recovered a pair of fumbles in 1998 as well. JuCo transfer Spencer Woolston )Vas impressive in spring ball, winning a starting spot going into fall, and the team has welcomed Bryce Shields - perhaps the hardest hitter on the team, according to Gregory - back from an LDS mission. Shields figures to back up Shepard (continued on page 7) 1 |